Charlotte Chesnais’s Emerald Solitaire, and All the Highlights From the Couture Jewelry Presentations
In general, high jewelry presentations held during couture week in January are but an aperitif for what’s to come in July. Some of the Place Vendôme’s starriest names are cooking up major presentations for this summer, and word is that there’s an important new jewelry event timed to coincide with the Biennale in September. Among this week’s reveals, yellow stones—diamonds, sapphires, and especially beryls (a cousin of the emerald)—enjoyed a moment in the sun, with Chanel’s L’Esprit du Lion collection taking pride of place. Here, one last look at selected highlights.
Charlotte Chesnais
It was only a matter of time before people started asking Charlotte Chesnais to do something about engagement rings and heritage stones. “I wanted it to float,” the designer said of this emerald—it’s about the size of a quarter—set in a variation of her Round Trip ring. Suddenly, the solitaire is looking a lot less staid.
Chanel
By the time Chanel’s L’Esprit du Lion presentation closed yesterday, the Passionate cuff and Dazzling ring shown here, and every other jewel in the 53-piece collection, had found a new owner. The most important one, the Legendary transformable gold necklace with a 30.19-carat cushion-cut fancy yellow diamond, was snapped up before the presentation even started. Another showstopper wasn’t jewelry at all: It was a lion made of nearly 3 kilos of gold, rock crystal, onyx, and diamonds.
Dior
Dior revealed its Versailles-inspired collection of secret jewels in New York late last year, but designer Victoire de Castellane still had a few surprises in store. Among the necklaces with important stones concealing vanitas, or secret rings whose gems pivot to reveal a tiny compartment, was a first outing for this secret watch in tanzanite and full-on diamonds.
Damiani
A newcomer to couture week, this nearly century-old Italian house presented the Margherita collection by Giorgio Damiani, the company’s third-generation creative director. His inspiration: archival photos of pieces designed for Margherita of Savoy, the queen consort of Italy in the late 19th century. The headliner: a secret watch composed of 52 daisies done entirely in diamonds.
Boucheron
In the run-up to its 160th anniversary celebrations, Boucheron is currently hosting the Vendorama exhibition on the Left Bank (last chance: it closes Sunday). Among the new creations is the Hopi hummingbird ring in diamonds and yellow sapphires with emerald eyes and a large beryl.
Suzanne Syz
Suzanne Syz has no intention of actually selling this dog bracelet, but she loves it so much she decided to present it alongside diamond slice earrings; the “Akuna Matata” earrings in orange aluminum, pink gold, and diamonds; and assorted Pop-influenced pieces.
Dauphin
Last year, Charlotte Dauphin de la Rochefoucauld made a memorable foray into colored stones with an imposing diamond and sapphire earring. This season, she expanded her Fluid collection to include rubies. The Fluid–Captured ring in gold and rubies debuts exclusively here.
